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Remakes Remakes REMAKES!

What is it with all the movie remakes that they have been doing over the last 20 or so years? Seems to be happening way more now than just 10 years ago, and even more than 20 or 30 years ago. Are people running out of ideas or is this like an easy way to make millions for Hollywood?

Nah, it's not about being out of ideas. Every piece of fiction is, to some extent or another, derivative. The answer boils down to this.

By the truck loads. Movies nowadays costs exuberant amounts to make. You're looking at movies that cost 200 million dollars to even more (Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides cost 412 million bucks to make for example). Because a lot of these movies cost so much combined with the fact that the movie would have to make double or more than the budget in order to even turn in a profit, that makes studios extremely risk averse. A new idea or franchise is extremely risky to put so much money on. This, combined with the trend of nostalgia pandering, then it's clear to see why remakes are so prevalent. This isn't exactly a new thing Hollywood has done. I mean, just look at how many versions of Dracula have been made over the years (I would also add that Hollywood cashing in on certain trends like Superhero movies isn't new either but that is another topic for another day). As much as it's tiresome, especially since a lot of remakes are just souless shells of the original movie (I am looking at you Robocop remake!), I don't see it slowing down especially with how much money is on the line with a lot of them.

Nah, it's not about being out of ideas. Every piece of fiction is, to some extent or another, derivative. The answer boils down to this.

By the truck loads. Movies nowadays costs exuberant amounts to make. You're looking at movies that cost 200 million dollars to even more (Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides cost 412 million bucks to make for example). Because a lot of these movies cost so much combined with the fact that the movie would have to make double or more than the budget in order to even turn in a profit, that makes studios extremely risk averse. A new idea or franchise is extremely risky to put so much money on. This, combined with the trend of nostalgia pandering, then it's clear to see why remakes are so prevalent. This isn't exactly a new thing Hollywood has done. I mean, just look at how many versions of Dracula have been made over the years (I would also add that Hollywood cashing in on certain trends like Superhero movies isn't new either but that is another topic for another day). As much as it's tiresome, especially since a lot of remakes are just souless shells of the original movie (I am looking at you Robocop remake!), I don't see it slowing down especially with how much money is on the line with a lot of them.

Very valid points. I guess the same can be said of the music industry. Why would a label take a risk on something new when they already know what makes money?

Yep. I don't have a ton to add here except that they figured out the medium and how to milk it for the most reliable profit. Movies haven't been around for all that long so I'd say they just hit their stride in terms of profitability within the time-frame you identified.

"Out of the ground, raze all greenery with flame! Fire2!"

Originally Posted by Starwind55

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